In a perfect world, every fence would be installed on clear and level ground, in soil that's easy to dig, on a sunny day. But we don't live in a perfect world, which means questions like "can vinyl fence be installed on a wall" are fairly common
Fortunately, we've been around long enough to have seen most types of site and installation challenge, and there's always a fence solution that can solve the problem! Read on to find out more about how vinyl fence can be installed on a wall or slab.
Inspect the Wall Carefully
If the wall or slab you want to install vinyl fence on is structurally sound, not cracked or crumbling or otherwise damaged, that's a good sign that you can install a vinyl fence on it.
However, walls that are made from cinderblocks, or which have decorative facing of some kind might not be strong enough to carry the weight of the fence, and the wind load that it might bear. Remember that solid fences like vinyl fence systems do catch the wind, and that can add a lot of strain to the surface you're attaching to!
If you live in a high wind area or have any doubt about the strucutral integrity of the wall or slab you want to install your vinyl fence on, it's a good idea to have an engineer or specialist take a look before you plan your fence. Your fence company won't be able to confirm either way that the slab or wall is sound enough for fence installation.
Choose the Right Design
Vinyl fence is usually installed over a hidden steel post, with post collars that keep the PVC post in place. By modifying these posts and adding a base plate, they can be installed on solid surfaces like concrete slabs or retaining walls.
Baseplates are welded to the bottom of the post, and are usually flat and square. However, there are other options that may work if you have a unique installation problem.
Plates welded to the side of the post can work if the top of the wall has a coping or can't be bolted to. Angle brackets might work if you need to attach to two sides of a wall or beam.
A good fence company will be able to assist with custom design and installation recommendations like these, and can customize the posts and materials to suit.
What Kind of Vinyl Fence Can you Install On Walls?
This is another common question, and the truth is, we can install nearly any type of vinyl fence on a wall or slab. Vinyl privacy fence, vinyl ranch rail, vinyl picket fencing and even vinyl gates can all be installed on walls and slabs. Sometimes, we also have to do installs where there are two or more installation methods required.
How to Get Custom Vinyl Fence Information
As you can imagine, vinyl fence systems that require customization are not something you can get off the shelf!
Getting a custom vinyl fence designed and installed, including vinyl fence installed on a wall or slab starts with a call to a Rite-Way Fencing office.
Most of our branches in BC and Alberta supply and install vinyl fence, as do our Saskatoon and Niagara branches.
Provide your Rite-Way Fencing representative with the dimentions and desired colour for your fence install, as well as photographs of the fence lines you need to have installed. A site visit can help to gather all the information required for a detailed quotation too, and can be arranged when you talk to your rep.
There's no such thing as a standard vinyl fence (or any standard fence, for that matter), but we can certainly help you with all the custom styles and solutions you need. Contact us to talk about your project.
